


Under the Desert Sun and Moon

by StoleTarts



Series: Under the Desert [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Coming of Age, F/M, Gay Male Character, Gay Sex, M/M, Male Friendship, Male Homosexuality, Male Slash, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-21
Updated: 2013-07-21
Packaged: 2017-12-20 21:13:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/891932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StoleTarts/pseuds/StoleTarts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two years have passed since the war. Naruto and Sasuke live a peaceful life in a desert town. Story 1 of 4.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tomatoes

_Today is a hot day._

_It's been two years since our move here and Sasuke thought it might be a good idea if I start keeping a journal. I'm not really sure what brought this on, but he got it for my birthday a few months ago and this is the first time I've opened it, but shh. Don't tell him that I lost it in the closet. When he got this for me I asked why, at first. He said it was because I was always forgetting things and should write them down._

_What a jerk!_

_..._

_Well, he's right but that's not the point. I’ve wanted to write down some things before I'm too old to remember them. This might be as good as time as any. I used to keep a journal back in the Hidden Leaf Village when I was younger. I was always alone so writing helped in my mind where I thought that someone might be listening to me._

_Like I said, it's been two years since we get here. We are living in a small town in Gaara's land called Water Stone Village. It's a remote place on a river in the desert known only for its massive working stone waterwheel. I suppose that's why they call it Water Stone. After the war ended, I honestly can't really remember what happened at the end. I woke up in Sasuke's arms at Gaara's palace. My memory is...fuzzy...as I have been told that I lost control for a moment, but everything ended up fine._

_So they tell me._

_Gaara offered Sasuke and I sanctum while the Hidden Leaf Village rebuilt and grew again. He said he understands the need for us to be together and offers no ill will._

_Funny huh?_

_As for the Hidden Leaf, well, Sakura is being groomed to be the next Hokage, but I'm okay with that. Sasuke is back and I'm with him. That's all that matters. Well, I can't go into details because like I said, it's a little fuzzy._

_It's all a bit surreal now._

_Anyway, I better get lunch ready for Sasuke. He forgot to take it with him._

_Again._

_What an irresponsible guy. Oh, I didn't tell you what I do. Ha, I don't do much. I work at this farm on the outskirts of town with cattle and crops while Sasuke teaches at the local school. He said that he wants to be to someone like how Iruka-sensei was to me. He said that maybe if he found someone like Iruka-sensei like I did, he wouldn't have been so scared._

_Ha ha, don't tell him I said that either. He'd kill me if that got out of the bag._

_Anyway, I better get going._

_-Naruto Uzumaki_

Naruto slammed closed the brown leather-bound book with his leaf symbol and swirl embroidered in red thread on the top cover. Putting the pen down, he closed the inkwell and screwed the lid on tightly before standing himself up from a seated position on the tatami-matted floor. The room was simple, mostly empty with two rolled up sleeping mats against the wall and a little wooden table he was sitting at on the opposite side. He fluffed up his blond hair, now cut shorter and cleaner than in previous years. His face showed signs of blond stubble that had started to come in from last night. He had already completed his morning chores of feeding the chickens and ducks and made sure the cows and sheep were out to pasture. Still a bit dirty, he pulled off his dust-tinged white tank top, tossing it in a basket as he made his way out of the sliding door to the wooden hallway. He turned to the kitchen, heading to the sink to wash his hands and arms as a basket of fresh tomatoes sat ready on the counter. Sasuke preferred to eat light lunches and Naruto would often make them considering his friend never remembered to do it before he ran out to the school in the morning. He didn't mind though as his daily presence with a bagged lunch had become a usual spectacle but it still distracted the young, fresh-faced students every lunch period.

The meals were easy enough to make. There was a tomato and basil sandwich with watercress and a small dash of fresh ground sea salt. On the side, there would be a container of fruit salad with pears, cherries, raspberries, and oranges. Sasuke usually had water mixed with his medication powders to help with his frequent headaches and eye pain. Though it was nothing heavy this time of day, he did take stronger doses at night. With everything packed up, Naruto left out of the front door and started his trip down the road following the river. It didn't take long for the ninja to approach an adobe that had been recently converted into the town’s new schoolhouse. He hoped the fence to the playground and peeked into the window of the single-roomed school. There he smiled at the happy, sleepy, and antsy small faces that reminded him of his past. Little hands waving in the air at questions being asked from a stern, but kind voice that was unmistakably Sasuke's.

“Stop peeking and come in already, Naruto.”

Busted.

With a bashful smile, the blond opened the door and laughed a bit as he held the bag up. Sasuke looked over at him with a knowing glace. "Hey, it's Uzumaki-sensei! Uzumaki-sensei!" the kids began to call and chant.

"Hey, Hey, I'm not your sensei. Uchiha-Sensei is,” Naruto tried to correct them but didn’t seem to be getting anywhere.

"Alright class, that's enough. It's time for lunch,” Sasuke said as he clapped his hands to restore order. The class erupted in cheers and scrambles as they ran out of their seats to their cubby holes, grabbed bagged lunches, and ran outside. Sasuke smirked a bit as he waited for the last child to run out before following. Taking a seat in the shade on a bench, he sat down to supervise. Naruto followed, sitting down next to the man who was once a killer and now a teacher. The once feared Uchiha had changed physically nearly as much as he had mentally. He had grown his black hair out into a ponytail that just passed his neck. It often sat on one of his shoulders. His complexion was also a bit tanner from the sun, but still noticeably paler than most people in the area including Naruto. A pair of thin circular glasses sat upon his turned-up nose, allowing Sasuke's weak eyes to see clearly through them. They were no longer pools of blood red and voided black. The shade had faded to a dark gray, but the light and love once thought to be lost forever had returned. A content smile sat on his lips as he watched the kids play, eat, tease, and practice their ninjitsu lessons together. Naruto's lips had a smile on them as well, but it was from watching Sasuke. In fact, he had been staring at him for quite some time.

"What did you bring me to eat?" Naruto seemed to snap back into reality when he was asked the question and laughed nervously.

"Huh? Oh yeah. Your favorite. As always." Sasuke smiled as he gently took the bag to look inside

"I wonder why I even ask anymore. Do you know how to make anything else?" he teased as he took the sandwich from the wrapper before biting into it. Naruto made a face at him, looking a little annoyed at the question. 

"Course I do but you're such a picky eater! It's always, 'that's too heavy, that's too much, that's too spicy, and that’s too bland.'” Sasuke started to laugh at such a bold reaction from a little joke only to make Naruto huff more. The blond sighed in defeat and leaned back against the stone wall while looking ahead. "It's nice to hear you laugh again." Sasuke looked a little surprised, leaning back as well as he ate and chewed his food slowly. 

"It's nice to want to laugh again. You know, it's because of..." But before he could finish, a little girl with red hair came running up to take Naruto’s hand. 

"Sensei, Sensei, could you push us on the swing?"  The man laughed a bit but he wanted to keep talking to with his friend. 

"Well, I was sort of...OW!" Sasuke had given him a swift kick to the shin.

"Course he will." There was another nervous laugh as Naruto peered over to his assailant. Sasuke just looked as innocent as possible as he contently stuffed his face with no plans on getting up. A defeated Naruto stood up with a heavy sigh.  He didn't really want to get dirty again, as he just changed before leaving the house into a fresh sleeveless shirt, but he would catch hell in a blaze of fury if he didn't go along with the little girl. Of course, this was all a trap set up by the kids anyway. There were four swings and now four kids sitting in them. Sighing again, Naruto laughed while scratching at his blond spikes. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu?" 

Four clones emerged, each taking hands to one of the swings as the true ninja took a seat back in the shade. "There, see? Problem solved,” he grinned while smirking. Sasuke shrugged as his wet pink lips were busy sucking on a cherry with the steam poking out between them.  He closed his eyes and moved closer to rest his head against a broad, bare shoulder. "Do your eyes hurt?”  He was asked as a plastic bottle of cold water was put to his forehead for some relief. He only grunted and took off the glasses to rub the inner corners of his eyes while giving a small nod. "Well, drink your medicine. It's already mixed." 

"I'm fine like this. Let me rest and you can keep watch,” Sasuke insisted as he pushed the bottle away. His face nuzzled against the warm tanned skin to find some comfort there. Naruto smiled down at this and leaned back as he was snuggled up against. 

"What kind of lazy sensei are you?"

"Shut up."


	2. Regrets

Sasuke really hadn't meant to fall asleep, but he was nudged back awake after what felt like an eternity. “What? What time is it?” he mumbled as he reached for his glasses.  What suddenly surprised him was the feeling of mattress and blankets, not the wooden bench. “Where am I?” he mumbled as his eyes focused on a smiling, but worried looking Naruto.

“I told you to take your medicine,” he scolded softly as he put a hand to Sasuke’s forehead. “You had a fever, so I took you home. You've been out for hours. Geesh, worry me some more, why don’t ya?” The hand came down and the bowl of soup he made was put on the low table as he squatted close by. “You're still warm, but you should eat.”

“What?!” panicked Sasuke as he continued to feel around for his glasses. He had also noticed that he was in a change of clothes and wrapped tightly under the blanket. “What about the school? The children, they...”

“Don't worry. I had my clones finish up the class and went back myself to make sure everyone was sent home on time. I told the parents I was just filling in because you got sick. They didn't mind.” Sasuke's look softened as he did not expect Naruto to be such a responsible guy but in a way, he wasn't surprised at all. He did, however, feel a bit useless.

“Oh,” Sasuke said, calming his voice down. “I see. Well, thank you.”  His stomach growled at the smell of warm tomato and basil soup.  “…I’m hungry.”

“Nope,” the blonde smiled reaching for a bottle on the table instead. “Take your pills first then you get to eat.” He shook three white tablets into his palm and held them out. Sasuke snatched quickly, tossing them into his mouth and drank the glass of water that was next to the soup.

“There. Happy?”

“Yup. You're such a good boy.” Naruto’s hand went to play in Sasuke's hair, but froze as an inhuman grip that grabbed his wrist and deathly glare that was burning a hole into his very soul.

“Do you want to die today? Give me my soup.”

“Yes! I mean, No! I mean. Here! Take it and let go already, geesh!” Sasuke released the wrist, smiling as he was all too pleased with himself. He moved the little table to over his legs and picked up his wooden spoon. He blew before sipping from it with a cat-like smile on his happy face. Naruto rubbed his wrist trying to nurse it back to health. “Damn, talk about biting the hand that feeds you.” He was shot another glare and this one made him jump back. Taking a seat on his knees, he watched his best friend eat. He had taken Sasuke's hair down when he brought him home and even removed his clothes. Afterwards, he had taken a moist towel to Sasuke's body in an attempt to cool down the thin frame and delicate-looking skin. Sasuke wasn't as tone as before, but was still as sharp as ever. His muscles were more adult-like, lean and chiseled. Despite his fragile look, Naruto knew better than to consider Sasuke anything close to being weak. Even without the power in the Sharingan, or should he say, Sasuke new outlook on not using it, the boy was now a man and an even more formidable combatant and strategist. But even knowing all of that, looking at him sit there with his soup, a sheer white kimono that draped over his body, and long black, silky hair with an innocent cat-like look on his face, it was hard to believe.

“Why are you staring at me again?” Sasuke asked as he looked up from the soup bowl. Naruto blushed brightly as he was caught.

“I was just thinking how different you look,” Naruto answered nervously while avoiding eye contact. Sasuke stopped for the moment, putting his spoon down.

“Different? How? You still look like a country bumpkin...” Naruto huffed, puffing out his chest.

“I do not! I mean, wait. What do you mean STILL?!” he grumbled as he moved to lie down on his back at Sasuke's side. He started at the ceiling until he noticed the annoyed man staring down directly at him.

“Clarify,” he demanded as he poked at Naruto’s face with his spoon.

Laughing, the blond smiled before he licked the utensil clean of soup remnants. “I mean, it's not just your face, or hair, or anything. It's everything. You feel different. I mean, yeah, you have long hair and wear glasses, but that's not what I'm really talking about.” Sasuke blinked, at first, but soon started to smile as he reached a hand down to wipe away a splatter of soup still stuck in scruff on Naruto's cheeks.

“I feel different? What have you been touching?” he teased as his hand became gentler on the light beard, enjoying the scratchy feeling on his fingertips.

“Hey, I haven't been touching anything. You know what I mean...” mumbled Naruto. His eyes had slipped closed with a smile with his head tilted his head back, his chin up as he enjoyed the scratching. It felt funny, but nice, giving him gentle butterflies in his stomach that made him laugh softly. Sasuke gave a coy shrug, moving his hand away from the petting and went back to the bowl. He picked it up to his lips to drink the rest and put the bowl down on the table with the spoon inside. After picking it up, he moved the table away as far as he could reach. With his lips licked clean, he laid down as well and curled up like a cat on Naruto's side.

“You smell a bit,” he muttered with his head on Naruto's chest but was close to an underarm that was exposed from the lack of shirt.

“Course I do,” Naruto whispered. “I've been working while you've been sleeping.” As he lay still, he could hear the distinct noise of Sasuke's breathing slowing into a steady, rhythmic sleep. He eyed his own bed roll still sitting against the wall, but made no move to get it. The floor wasn't that bad and it was a cool night. They both enjoyed sleeping in the same room anyway, as it was a definite change from living alone their entire lives. They even managed to curl up together a few times when they first moved there. Not recently but still, he never expected Sasuke to be quite so...

“Naruto?”

“Hmm?” Sasuke rolled over with his back to his friend now. “What's wrong, Sasuke?” Naruto had sat up on his elbows, looking concerned.

“Do you regret it? Here, with me? Taking care of me?” Sasuke had turned away to ask this and Naruto knew why.

“Not for a second,” he assured the man while rubbing the bony back through the thin kimono. “I told you before right? I regret not running to talk to you the first time I saw you when we were kids. I wish I got to know you earlier. As much fun as it was being your rival I kind of wish I could slap my old self, ya know? I'd say, hey, that kid will be your best friend and he needs you just like you need him.” The answer startled Sasuke, who rolled over to look back at him.

“You need me?” Naruto just smiled and moved to stand up.

“You worry too much. You're going to get wrinkles and bags under your eyes. I'm going to clean up, so get some sleep.” Sasuke looked onward while pressing his lips together as he gave a reluctant nod. Rolling back over, he buried himself under the blanket. Naruto smiled and left the room only stopping for a second to turn the light off.  As he closed the sliding door carefully, he looked at it with his hand on the frame. “ _Do I regret? Yes_ ,” he thought to himself. “ _But not in the way you think_.”


End file.
